There are many parts for which reinforcement structures are desired. For example, in the commercial and military transportation industries, aircrafts typically include reinforcement structures configured as or as part of fuselages, ailerons, elevators, rudders, winglets, horizontal tails, wings, empennages, and the like; and automotive vehicles typically include reinforcement structures configured as or as part of vehicle body structures, doors, hoods, pillars, roofs, bumpers, and the like.
Reinforcement structures often include an outer skin(s) and one or more internal features, such as ribs, spars, webs, or the like, that are used to help stiffen and strengthen the reinforcement structure. The internal features are attached to the outer skin(s) or other portion(s) of the reinforcement structure using fixing devices such as metal screws, rivets, bolts, and nuts. Consequently, manufacturing reinforcement structures using such fixing mechanisms is quite time consuming and expensive. In addition, the fixing devices, internal features, and/or other portions of the reinforcement structure are typically made of metal, which adds weight to the reinforcement structure and which does not have the highest strength/stiffness to weigh ratio, such as compared to fiber reinforced composite materials.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide apparatuses and methods for making a reinforcement structure that are time- and cost-efficient to manufacture. Moreover, it is desirable to provide apparatuses and methods for making a reinforcement structure that is made of a relatively high strength and stiffness but lightweight material. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the various embodiments described herein will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.